Lock hasp seal



April 7, 1 H. NIERHAUS LOCK HASP SEAL Filed April 28. 1961 INVENI OR Henry Niel-flaws ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,128,114 LOCK HASP SEAL Henry Nierhans, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignor to Stofiel Seals Corporatien, Tuckahoe, N.Y. Filed Apr. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 106,251 6 Claims. (Cl. 292-320) This invention relates to security and more particularly to seals by means of which closure elements may be guarded against surreptitious opening.

In the handling of mail it has been the practice to employ bags for transportation of mail between various locations. The bags are handled by various individuals between shipping and destination points, and it is necessary that they be protected against unauthorized access.

Furthermore, such mail bags are handled daily in large numbers, and it is desirable that the sealing means be easy to attach and remove, as well as providing maximum security. Additionally, that the seals be available at low cost and of light weight so that they will not materially increase the cost of shipment.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, inexpensive, tamper-proof, easily operable seal adapted for engagement with a hasp such as those used on mail bags, or for sealing other devices such as utility meters.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the attachment of a seal in accordance with the invention to a hasp of a mail bag;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective of the seal in closed position;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of the device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section to an enlarged scale on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective of the seal in open position.

Briefly stated, the invention includes a unitary seal of suitable plastic such as polyethylene including a pair of interlocking members connected together by a strap, the interlocking members consisting of a head having a base and upstanding prong with angularly disposed metal spring means projecting from the sides of the latter, and a socket member having a cylindrical portion for receiving the prong, undercut recesses for receiving the spring means, and a rim for receiving the base.

Referring to the drawing, the sealing member has a head portion 10, a socket portion 11 and a connecting strap 12. The head consists of a base 13 having a prong 14 of less diameter projecting perpendicularly therefrom. The prong is substantailly cylindrical, with the tip 15 reduced and tapered. Adjacent to the tip the ends of spring member 18 protrude outwardly and incline away from the end of the prong. The spring member 18 has a central portion 19 fixed within the prong and protruding portions or tangs 20 extending from either side thereof. The portions 20 are angularly disposed and preferably have a coating of the head material on the outer sides to facilitate insertion into the socket member. The prong 14 has a recess 21 at each side immediately beneath the spring member 18, the recess permitting depression of the spring member as the prong is inserted into the socket.

At the other end of the connecting strap 12 the socket 11 is formed. The socket has a relatively thick cylindrical wall 24 and an end wall 25 providing a recess or bore 26 which is of a size to snugly receive the prong 14. Extending from the open end of the wall 24 is a lip or rim 27 which has a notch or opening 28 of a width sufficient to receive the strap 12 when the device is closed as in- "ice dicated in FIG. 2. The base 13 of the head portion of i the seal is of a diameter to be snugly received within the rim 27 of the socket, the rim having a height approximately corresponding to that of the base 13 in order that when the device is closed the exposed back surface of the base 13 will be substantially flush with the extremity of the rim 27.

Spaced from the open end of the wall 24 are recesses 30 which are adapted to receive the tangs 20 of the spring 18 when the device is closed. These recesses may be formed during molding by the insertion of die members which are later removed, leaving openings 32 in the base of the socket member.

The strap has a central portion 34 of reduced diameter which facilitates its bending for application to a member and closing of the device. Such reduced portion may, if desired, be sufiiciently thin or weakened in such a way that the seal may be easily ruptured or torn from the hasp when the lock is to be opened. The strap has another reduced portion 35 adjacent to the head 10, by means of which the seal may be easily ruptured.

The seal is preferably formed by molding as a unitary structure, except for the spring which is of metal and separately formed.

In the use of the device the seal is engaged over the hasp or other member and locked by pressing the prong into the opening of the socket member until the tangs of the spring members enter the recesses 30.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention includes a unitary seal of plastic which can be formed by molding and which has a head and a socket portion connected by a strap portion. The head has a substantially cylindrical button mounted on a relatively wide base and a metal spring having inclined plastic-covered ends protruding for reception in recesses in the socket member. The socket member has a main thick wall portion for snugly receiving the button and the outer face of which receives the base of the head portion. Projecting from the open end of the head portion is a relatively narrow rim which receives the base of the head portion, thereby providing a neat and attractive seal which is proof against tampering.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary seal construction comprising a socket member and a head member connected by a strap member, said socket member having a relatively thick cylindrical side wall, an end wall and an open end, said cylindrical side wall having opposed interior recesses extend ing from approximately midway from the open end to said end wall and having a relatively narrow rim at the open end of said side wall, said rim having a notch in one portion thereof, said strap at one end extending laterally from said end wall and aligned with the notch in said rim and of a width corresponding to that of said notch, the head member being connected to the other end of said strap and comprising a relatively wide discshaped base of a size to be snugly received within the rim of said socket member and with a face abutting the open end of the side wall of said socket member, said head member having a cylindrical projecting member centrally of its base and extending therefrom and of a size to be snugly received within the cylindrical wall of said socket member, said projecting member having a tapered extremity and opposed recesses on its opposite sides intermediate its ends, and a spring member mount- (3 ed in the projecting member and having its end portions protruding from the opposite sides of said projecting member and inclined away from the tapered extremity thereof, said recesses in the projecting member being beneath said inclined portion to permit inward movement of said protruding spring ends.

2. A unitary seal construction comprising a socket member and a head member connected by a strap member, said socket member having a relatively thick cylindrical side wall, an end wall and an open end, said cylindrical side wall having opposed interior recesses and having arelatively narrow rim at the open end of said side wall, said rim having a notch in one portion thereof, said strap at one end extending laterally from said end wall and aligned with the notch in said rim, the head member being connected to the other end of said strap and comprising a relatively wide base of a size to be snugly received within the rim of said socket member and with a face abutting the open end of said side wall of said socket member, said head member having a cylindrical projecting member centrally of its base and extending therefrom and of a size to be snugly received within the cylindrical wall of said socket member, said projecting member having a tapered extremity and pposes on its opposite sides intermediate its ends, and a spring member mounted in the projecting member and having its end portions protruding from the opposite sides of said projecting member and inclined away from the tapered extremity thereof, said recesses in the projecting member being beneath said inclined portion to permit inward movement of said protruding spring ends.

3. A unitary seal construction comprising a socket member and a head member connected by a strap member, said socket member having a relatively thick side wall, an end wall and an open end, said side wall having opposed interior recesses and having a relatively narrow rim at the open end of said side wall, said rim having a notch in one portion thereof, said strap at one end extending laterally from said end wall, the head member being connected to the other end of said strap and comprising a relatively wide base of a size to be snugly received within the rim of said socket member and with a face abutting the open end of said side wall of said socket member, said head member having a projecting member centrally of its base and extending therefrom and of a size to be snugly received within the wall of said socket member, said projecting member having opposed recesses on its opposite sides intermediate its ends, and a spring member mounted in the projecting member and having its end portions protruding from the opposite sides of said projecting member and inclined away from the tip thereof, said recesses in the projecting member being beneath said inclined portion to permit inward movement of said protruding spring ends.

4. A unitary lock hasp seal comprising a socket member and a head member connected by a strap member, said socket member having a relatively thick side wall, an end wall and an open end, said strap extending laterally from said socket member and connected to the base of said head member, said side wall having a relatively narrow rim at the open end, said head member including a relatively Wide base of a size to be snugly received within the rim of said socket member and with a face abutting the open end of said side wall, a projecting member extending outwardly from said base and of a size to be snugly received within the wall of said socket member, and means for locking said projecting member and said socket member in assembled relation.

5. The invention of claim 4, said strap member having an intermediate portion of reduced thickness and of substantial length to facilitate bending thereof.

6. The invention of claim 4, said strap member having a reduced portion, immediately adjacent to the base of said head member. in order to facilitate rupture of said strap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 312,963 Brooks Feb. 24, 1865 897,848 Pleins Sept. 1, 1908 2,610,879 Pope Sept. 16, 1952 2,912,269 Moberg Nov. 10, 1959 

4. A UNITARY LOCK HASP SEAL COMPRISING A SOCKET MEMBER AND A HEAD MEMBER CONNECTED BY A STRAP MEMBER, SAID SOCKET MEMBER HAVING A RELATIVELY THICK SIDE WALL, AN END WALL AND AN OPEN END, SAID STRAP EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND CONNECTED TO THE BASE OF SAID HEAD MEMBER, SAID SIDE WALL HAVING A RELATIVELY NARROW RIM AT THE OPEN END, SAID HEAD MEMBER INCLUDING A RELATIVELY WIDE BASE OF A SIZE TO BE SNUGLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE RIM OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND WITH A FACE ABUTTING THE OPEN END OF SAID SIDE WALL, A PROJECTING MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BASE AND OF A SIZE TO BE SNUGLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE WALL OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID PROJECTING MEMBER AND SAID SOCKET MEMBER IN ASSEMBLED RELATION. 